Good evening.
Today I met Peter McParland on the Toronto islands for a nice day of birding.
The high light of the day was a 1st winter female Kentucky Warbler at the southeast corner of the airport fence on Hanlans Point. We found this bird at approx. 3:45 pm this afternoon. Good looks at the bird were at times only 5 or 6 feet away.
Some of the other birds seen were 3 Hooded Mergansers, 11 Sharp-shinned Hawks heading west, Caspian Terns, R,-T. Hummingbird, 29 N. Flickers, E. Wood Pewees, E. Phoebe, a surprise E. Kingbird, 4 Philadelphia and 21 Red-eyed Vireos, 25 Swainson's and 1 Hermit Thrush, Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches, 3 Carolina Wrens, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 18 Warbler species including N. Parula, Blackburnian, Wilson's and Canada Warblers, White-throated Sparrows, 7 Scarlet Tanagers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.
Another good day of birding with good company.
Directions:-
TORONTO ISLANDS (Wards Island to Hanlans Point - without side trips is 5 km) - Now on the Fall Schedule.
To get to the Toronto Islands from Queen and Yonge Streets on the TTC. If your on the subway southbound stay on it and get off at Union Station, walk south about 1 km to the ferry docks at the foot of Bay Street at Queens Quay and you are there. If in an auto on the Gardener Expressway or on Lakeshore Blvd, then exit at Bay Street and drive south to Queens Quay, there are lots of parking lots nearby (fee).
There is a fee for using the island ferries ($6.00 adult / $3.50 for seniors and students) and to find out the sailing times you can phone (416) 392-8193. There are washrooms on the islands as well as the city side at the ferry docks and you can pick up a schedule at the docks or check on line.
The 1st boat to Wards Island (my preferred starting point) is 6:35 am and the 2nd is 7:00 am Monday to Friday.
The 1st is at 6:35 am and the 2nd boat is at 7:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.
The 1st boat to Hanlans Point is 8:00 am and the 2nd boat is at 8:30 am Monday to Friday.
The 1st is at 8:15 am and the 2nd boat is at 9:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.
If arriving in early am you must obtain your ticket from a machine just inside the gate so be sure to have $1.00 and $2.00 and/or 25 cent coins before you arrive at the docks as there is no place to get change and the machine does not make change. (There is a change machine (up to a $10 bill) there if you want to chance it).
There are coffee shops across from the ferry docks in the building on the northwest corner and they are open early. food and beverages on The Islands when open are very expensive i.e. soft drinks $3.00. If you are birding from Wards the soft drink machine beside the fire station sells juice, iced tea, etc. for $1.00.and $1.25.
For a detailed ferry schedule check the following web site.
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/springschedule.htm PS
There is a map of the Islands at each of the Island side ferry docks and the City side.
